The study, by the influential National Research Council, compared traffic accident fatality rates in this country with other countries, including European countries, Japan, Australia and other developed nations. The US has made some of the least amount of progress in reducing the number of deaths. The study found that since 1995, France has managed to reduce its traffic accident fatalities by 52%, compared to 19% in the US.

According to the report, the US must work harder in enforcing DUI and speeding laws. For instance, in France, one motorist is administered an alcohol test for every 3.6 motorists. In the US, we have no reliable figures, but it is believed that the rate of our sobriety testing is below that of Great Britain-one in every 56 drivers.

Besides, other countries seem to have accepted speeding camera systems as a means to reduce driving speeds and prevent devastating accidents. In the US, speeding camera systems have been the subject of great controversy and debate, and have been opposed in many parts of the country.

The problem is also that in this country, highway safety is the responsibility of state and local governments, and not the federal government. In most other developed countries, highway safety is solely the responsibility of the central government, which sets down safety laws and implements these.